


Vhenan'ara

by Lafaiette



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, First Time, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Loss of Virginity, Love, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-20
Updated: 2016-07-20
Packaged: 2018-07-25 12:46:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7533337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lafaiette/pseuds/Lafaiette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I want to make love to you. Until dawn, no, forever.”</p><p>Solas and Scarlet Lavellan's first time in all its awkward, tender, sweet glory.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vhenan'ara

Going to bed is getting increasingly difficult.

Not because the stairs are many or the bed is uncomfortable. Nightmares and such aren’t a problem either, since Solas always finds her in the Fade and together they have the most wonderful of nights.

The main issue is another, one that Scarlet doesn’t even have the courage to address properly in her head, let alone face it with Solas himself or her friends.

She and Solas have been sleeping in the same bed for almost two months now and nearly all she can think about is his body pressed against hers, his hands touching her in ways she can barely picture, and his voice whispering sweet things in her ear.

She already felt his hard manhood pressed against her back, the morning after their first night spent in the same room. She remembers her surprise and excitement, mixed with a bit of fear that soon went away.

Since then, her thoughts have been… Her mother or the Keeper would probably define them _filthy_ , but Scarlet isn’t even sure _what_ the confused scenes in her head exactly mean.

She only has some general ideas of what might happen, of what sex is. Things glimpsed in her clan, when some of her friends went with their loved ones to frolic in the woods or in the tall grass; stuff she learned from her mother when she came of age and lessons given by the Keeper.

But they were just simple notions and she had to fill the blanks with her imagination, which sometimes couldn’t give her answers and only left her more confused than before. She didn’t even worry about it, since she found that nobody in the clan interested her, and then all the mess at the Temple of Sacred Ashes happened and…

And now she is Inquisitor, Solas is her mate, and she has no idea how to tell him she would like to feel his mouth on her breasts and his hand between her legs, that she wants to make him feel good and… and…

She has no idea how to tell him that _she doesn’t know how to do this._

Should she just ask him if he wants to make love too? Wouldn’t that be too bold and disrespectful? Would he be offended?

What if she assumed it wrong and he isn’t interested in _that_? What if he is scared by her lack of knowledge and experience or, worse, annoyed by it?

She can’t imagine him being annoyed by such a thing, though. Solas isn’t like that.

But again, she doesn’t know how this works, how this is supposed to be initiated. She doesn’t know how the other girls in her clan asked their mates to have sex, who asked it first, who made the first move. She didn’t know what happened beyond the closed doors of the aravels of the newly married couples.

Now she gets flustered more easily. Solas hugs her and kisses her during the day and all she wants to do is deepen their kisses and rub her hips against his, to feel the same hard length that was pressed against her butt time ago.

She wants to leave him breathless and make him moan and feel good. She wants to touch him and become one with him, give him her body and soul, feel his beautiful, calloused hands on her skin.

She tries to imagine how his body looks like almost every day. She knows he is much older than her and that detail only arouses her even more.

She imagines his broad hands on her breasts. She sees his smile and the wrinkles that form near his eyes and mouth as he leans down to kiss her. She pictures his body in her mind and thinks it’s probably toned, well-built after years spent in the forests and spinning his staff, but also somewhat tender, typical of a middle-aged man.

Does he have a soft tummy? He probably has and she wants to touch it and let him touch hers in return. She is sure he has freckles on other parts of his body too and she wants to kiss them and tell him how beautiful he is.

Sharing the bed and a tent with him has become almost unbearable. He seemingly suspects nothing and pulls her into a strong embrace, falling asleep like that after talking and laughing a bit, and Scarlet is left frozen in his arms, pressed against his chest with confused images and unclear scenes swirling in her head.

She catches glimpses of his back and legs when they are out on a mission and wash the blood of their battles in cold streams. She sees the beads of sweat and blood run down his neck when they are fighting enemies. She watches him open his jacket and robes a bit every time they have to go to the Western Approach and her mouth gets as dry as the sand around them.

Something happened a few days ago. She still feels like dying at the thought of it.

They all stopped by the pools of warm water in Emprise du Lion to recover from the terrible cold and relax their muscles, stiffened by the snow and the many battles they had already fought.

She was the only woman of the group, so she went to a separate pool alone and crouched behind a rock to undress herself. But then her curiosity got the best of her and even though she felt disgusting, she couldn’t help but peek out and watch what the men were doing.

She knew she risked to see something she didn’t absolutely want to see, like Bull and Varric’s bodies. But Solas was there with them, already busy taking off his robe and heavy sweater, and Scarlet focused entirely on him, forgetting about the others.

His back was turned to her and she was able to see it. Not particularly muscled, but definitely toned; she wasn’t sure, due to the distance, but she thought there were some scars on it, understandable considering his lifestyle.

Then she saw his butt. The most beautiful butt in the world, a masterpiece, a work of art. She had already looked at it while it was clothed, while Solas walked in front of her or bended over to pick up herbs.

But now it was naked and it was _perfect_. Toned, firm, a bit plump and well-shaped, with freckles dusted all over it.

Scarlet stared at it as if it was Arlathan itself in all its lost glory.

Then Solas turned and she barely had the time to hide back behind the boulder. She didn’t want to see his manhood like that. What she had done was already bad and disrespectful and Solas deserved better than be spied on.

Still, she couldn’t stop wondering what the rest of his body looked like. She bit her lips, cheeks on fire, the image of Solas’ naked back and ass burning in her mind like a vision.

“Wait.” she heard his voice say. “Where is the Inquisitor?”

Varric and Bull were already immersed in the pool and she heard the water move as they looked around.

“Maybe she’s still behind the rock…?”

“I…!” she started, then coughed to clear her throat and tried again: “I’m here, yes!”

Solas let out a relieved sigh and she heard him get into the water. She quickly undressed herself and ran into her own pool, whose sight was partially covered by other smaller rocks, which provided a sort of wall hiding her from the others.

The water was hot and incredibly relaxing: she felt like she was submerged in pure elfroot extract and her minor wounds and cuts stopped hurting almost immediately. Even her muscles stopped aching after a short while and she lied back against the stones, exhaling slowly…

… and thinking about Solas’ butt.

She could hear him and the others talk in their pool. It wasn’t much far, so their voices and words reached her without problems. She started washing her hair, trying not to eavesdrop, but it was inevitable.

Especially when Bull lowered his voice in a weird manner and began talking about her.

“She looks lonely there, Solas. Why don’t you go to her?”

She tensed up and pretended to be utterly busy with her hair. She had to use a tremendous amount of willpower not to turn and look at Solas’ face.

“That is…” she heard him babble, then he hissed: “That would be hardly appropriate.”

“Why?” Bull sounded surprised. “Dude, aren’t you two together? You should be there with her right now, massaging her shoulders and whispering dirty things in her ear!”

Scarlet bit her lips and looked down at the water, feeling ready to combust. Solas made a strange coughing sound.

“We are together.” he confirmed without hesitation. Then his voice turned strained again. “But that does not mean I can join her like that. It would be inappropriate all the same.”

A moment of silence passed, then Bull whistled and said: “Oh, I get it! You haven’t tumbled together under the sheets yet, right?”

Scarlet bended her knees and hid her face into them, swallowing a groan. She was sure the steam around her was actually produced by her and not the hot water.

In the distance, Solas seemed to choke on his own saliva and Varric sighed uncomfortably.

“That’s weird, though!” Bull continued, as if unaware of those reactions. “I could have sworn you two already had sex. I mean…”

He lowered his voice even more and Scarlet had to focus a lot to hear it. She stiffened, but didn’t move, not wanting to make them understand she was listening.

“The Inquisitor is clearly sending you signals, man.”

Scarlet gasped at that. Someone shuffled in the men’s pool, then Varric hissed through gritted teeth: “Maybe you should drop this, Tiny. It’s not our business.”

“Oh, come on!” More water moving, then Bull continued annoyed: “Either Solas is blind or he is making the boss wait so much to give her the best time of her life!”

She was sure he was wiggling his eyebrows now, but she had no idea how Solas could look.

“She has been making doe-eyes at you for months. She is basically walking around with a giant _‘fuck me, Solas’_ sign on her forehead. Every time you smile at her or touch her, she babbles and stares at you like you are one of her elven gods in the flesh!”

Oh Creators, she wasn’t that obvious and indiscreet, was she? Had everyone noticed her behavior except for Solas? Or had he been aware too and had politely ignored her embarrassing, childish, longing glances?

Solas sounded like he was about to run away, outraged, or sink into the pool to never resurface.

“I-I…” he started, then a pause, then he heatedly concluded: “Master Tethras is right. This does not concern you and the place and time are not apt for this conversation.”

“Stop it, Tiny. Chuckles has gotten all red and the Inquisitor can hear us.” Varric insisted, his voice barely audible.

“Talk to her, man!” Bull ignored them, smashing a hand on the water. “She is gonna burst sooner or later!” A pause, then his tone got mischievous: “Say, you aren’t worried about your age difference, are you?”

A pause, filled with Solas’ icy silence and Varric’s groan. Then Bull started chortling.

“She is turned on by that, everyone knows it! She doesn’t even see the young elves trying to flirt with her at Skyhold!”

She frowned. Young men? What young men?

Solas took a long intake of breath. When he spoke next, he sounded like a growling animal, and Scarlet squirmed in the water, aware of her own nudity, of Solas’, of his voice.

“We will not discuss this anymore.”

“Talk to her, Solas.” Bull repeated and it sounded like he was finally accepting to drop the topic. “Talk to her and give her what she wants.”

A pause, then she _heard_ the Qunari’s smug grin as he added: “You, in case that wasn’t clear.”

And he did talk to her later. More or less.

After hours spent in the snow, with a flustered Scarlet avoiding him and Bull pestering him with glares and blatant gestures with his hands, Solas joined her in their tent in one of the Inquisition camps and kissed her cheek.

Scarlet jumped and turned to him with wide eyes and a cloth-tearing grip on her heavy jacket.

He looked worried, perhaps a bit sad, but also sweet and caring like usual and he lifted his hand to caress her cheek and wipe away snow from it.

“ _Ma vhenan_.” he said. “Are you alright?”

She nodded fast, hoping her smile was convincing enough, then she punctually got lost into his eyes and the little wrinkles surrounding them.

She imagined him on top of her, thrusting into her. That’s how it happened, right? Then she thought about making him moan and reach what her mother had called the _climax_ \- and she blushed so hard Solas grew worried.

“You are hot!” he gasped, moving his hand to her forehead. “Did you fall ill? Are you feeling unwell?”

“N-No!” she reassured him, sliding his hand back on her cheek. “I am fine, Solas. I’m just a bit tired. It’s been a long day.”

He brushed a long finger along her ear, making her snort, and a small smile curled his lips as he replied: “Indeed.”

But then he got serious again and studied her face with a look akin to wonder and sorrow that she didn’t know how to react to. She took his other hand and entwined her fingers with his, while pressing her face further into his palm.

“I’m fine, Solas.” she repeated, even though the words she wanted to say were others. Her smile broadened. “Don’t worry.”

Overwhelmed by his gaze, she looked away, but she didn’t miss the blush on his cheeks. She saw the way his ears had gotten an adorable shade of crimson and she brought his hand to her mouth to kiss his knuckles.

He let out a weird sound, a mix between a sigh and a croak, then he pressed his lips on hers and she risked to melt. She felt on the verge of exploding and she nearly threw her arms around him, anything just to be closer to him and press their bodies together.

Would he blush like that in bed? She thought so. She wanted him to feel good, happy, loved, she wanted to kiss and embrace him for hours, for all eternity, and told him he wasn’t alone.

She knew how men looked like, of course. She had seen pictures, she had heard her friends’ descriptions, and she thought she could do a decent job in giving Solas pleasure.

She was a bit scared about the idea of putting his manhood… _there_ , but she also knew Solas would be gentle, patient, kind like always. She knew it and she wanted nothing more than make love to him and worship him with every kiss and touch.

Her friends had said all people made a certain face when they reached their climax. She wondered what Solas’ face was. What about the _sounds_ he would make?

She couldn’t help but deepen the kiss and Solas responded in kind, using his tongue to tease hers.

He tasted like the bread they had eaten before and the berries he carried around to share them with her - knowing she liked them - or simply to chew something sweet during their trips.

The hand on her cheek went on her waist, then on the small of her back, and Scarlet made a step forward, moaning softly.

Then Solas’ hand went on her butt, cupping it, and she instinctively slipped her knee between his legs. She felt his hard length only for a few seconds before he abruptly broke the kiss and pulled away, breathing heavily.

He looked nearly scared and Scarlet went pale, fearing the worst. Had she offended him? Was it her fault? Had he truly noticed her behavior and ignored it because he didn’t want to have sex with her?

She knew the body could react in certain ways if teased, but that didn’t mean the person in question was actually aroused or willing to continue. Was his body excited only because of the simple act of kissing?

She started to doubt herself. Perhaps he really was frightened by their age difference. Perhaps he didn’t find her alluring. Perhaps he didn’t feel sure due to her lack of experience.

Solas always treated her gently, she always saw his love for her shine in his eyes and in every gesture, but she started to panic and any reasonable thought left her mind.

She was about to excuse herself and flee the tent, when Solas seemed to predict her intentions and grabbed her right hand again, panicking as much as her.

“ _Vhenan_!” he almost shouted, then calmed down, swallowed, and repeated more softly: “ _Vhenan_. Don’t go.”

She timidly looked up at him, then back at their joined hands. Hers was smaller and her fingers were held tightly and safely by his, which were longer and visibly older, not the fingers, not the hand of a young man.

And she was happy of that. She didn’t want someone else, a _younger_ else, she didn’t want anyone but Solas. She wanted him and only him, in any possible way, but she didn’t have the courage to pronounce those words, to let them out, so she smiled at him and saw that he was as torn as her.

By what, though, she couldn’t say.

“I…” he started, but she interrupted him before he could continue.

“Let’s go to bed, _ma sa’lath_.” she said and even though that _technically_ was what she wanted - to ‘tumble together under the sheets’ like Bull had said -, it wasn’t exactly the same thing and Solas understood that.

He blushed when she shyly kissed his lips again - a chaste kiss that didn’t lead to anything else - and he kept blushing as they slipped inside their bedrolls and he hugged her close to himself.

He watched her for the whole time and every time she tried to start a conversation or make him laugh, he continued to stare at her and she finally saw the contrasting emotions that were devouring him: fear and love, the same as hers, and she felt the urge to throw her arms around his neck and hug him tightly.

She did so, without initiating anything of course, and she said softly, a whisper carrying all her adoration for him: “I love you, Solas.”

And when she pulled away, she saw his blush had reached every part of his face and head and had gone down to his neck. His eyes looked shiny, almost glossy, and she kissed them to chase away the tears.

She felt like crying too. She didn’t like that situation: it was awkward, things were unclear and unsaid out of fear and self-doubts, and she had no idea how to approach him, how not to feel like a stupid child.

In the end, the trip back to Skyhold was quiet, except for Bull’s constant jokes and innuendos and Varric’s attempts to make everyone smile.

Scarlet and Solas started behaving like they had done before the start of their relationship. They were awkward and timid, stole quick glances and touches, not sure how to make the next step, afraid of offending or hurting the other.

It was like they were walking on eggshells and at night things would get even weirder: Solas would never stop watching her and Scarlet would feel feverish just by standing so close to him.

 

\- - - -

 

Just a few days have passed since their return from Emprise du Lion and Scarlet is sure she will go insane.

Solas always rolls up the sleeves of his sweater when he paints and she has to bite the inside of her mouth to take her eyes off from his forearms.

He licks his fingers and lips after eating something sweet, like a frilly cake, a tart, or a biscuit, and she can just watch from the couch in the rotunda as fire burns in her groin and her blood rushes like a waterfall in her ears.

He _always_ senses her eyes. His head always snaps to where she is and she barely has the time to pretend to be still reading, writing, or sewing.

She starts reading smutty books and romance novels to better understand what to do in such a situation. Her moments with Solas are good as always, but she fumbles around, she is tense and almost scared, and he notices it all.

It can’t go on like this, so she decides to learn all that she can about sex, gather all her courage, and then ask Solas if he would be interested in doing _that_ with her. Should he accept, she would be ready to give him pleasure thanks to the knowledge she acquired and not cause a disaster.

The first book shocks, confuses, and intrigues her all at the same time. She can see it’s not high quality literature, but she assumes - _hopes_ \- that the sex scenes described in it are realistic and plausible.

She learns new terms. She learns things her Keeper and her mother didn’t tell her. She understands what most of the scenes she glimpsed in the forest were. She even sneaks into the library at night while nobody is around to read some ‘professional’ books and learn more about anatomy too.

All that remains is ask Solas if he would like to make love with her.

She tries every night before going to sleep. Solas knows something is deeply _haunting_ her, but doesn’t force her to talk about it.

She’d rather he did that. No matter how many times she tries, no matter how she starts, she always ends up changing topic or dropping the one she so much wants to face with him. She shivers with pleasure when he touches her to kiss her goodnight, she blushes and plays with the buttons of his night clothes when they are in bed, and he stares at her.

Always, every night, he watches her intently, fingertips idly tracing her lips or nose, caressing her. Her heart beats like a hammer and her hands clutch tightly his clothes as she desperately attempts to come up with good, decent words to express her feelings.

Solas blushes too, a lot. When she timidly kisses him goodnight or nuzzles his neck, she sees a deep shade of red tint his face and his expression soften even more. He always does that, it’s like he is positively overwhelmed by her touch and fed, rejuvenated, _saved_ by it.

At least, she can give him that, she thinks as she desperately kisses him and hugs him, trying to convey all her love and desire for him through heated smooches and tender cuddles.

Sometimes her fantasies become even wilder: she dreams of motherhood, of Solas’ smiling mouth on her swollen belly, of their first night together as a married couple.

 _Vhenan’ara_ , she thinks when she looks at him. Heart’s desire. Not just a physical desire, but something more, the wish to become one with him in both spirit and body.

And then one morning, she feels and sees his morning wood - a new word she learned - again as she wakes up.

It’s there, pressed against her ass just like Solas’ mouth is pressed on her neck. He is still sleeping soundly and Scarlet slowly, one inch at a time, turns on her other side and swallows.

Solas keeps snoring lightly and walking through the Beyond, and she gingerly lifts the blanket, peering under it.

And here is the outline of his cock again, thick, bulging through his thin pants. She can see his… what was the word again? _Sack_ , she can see that too, and her heart beats faster, her breathing gets quicker.

She wants to touch it, but she can’t. She can’t do that to Solas, she would never touch him like that without his permission.

So she touches herself. She lifts her nightgown with a trembling hand and teases her entrance through her smalls. At least she tries to, because she never really did it before, too scared by the idea of slipping her fingers all the way in into her womanhood, although she brushed them against the outer lips when her desire for Solas was too strong to be ignored.

Still, she didn’t receive much relief and satisfaction from doing that and even now, despite being so near Solas, she can’t focus and pleasure doesn’t come easily.

She is afraid he is going to wake up any moment now. She is scared of what he might think, of what he might say, seeing her like this.

She imagines this is Solas’ hand, although it doesn’t feel as big as his. She closes her eyes for a second as a spark of bliss burns her and she pretends Solas is whispering dirty things in her ear, the same she read in those books.

_“Your cunt is so soft. Can you feel how it opens for me? Spread your legs and show it to me.”_

Scarlet whimpers and one of her finger slips beneath her smalls. Would Solas say those things to her? Or would he use different words? Would he be quiet or tell her many things?

She glances down at his dick. She wants it inside her. She wants to stroke it, see if Solas has freckles there too, massage his sack, kiss his chest.

Her nipples are hard and she wants him to touch them, to _lick_ them. Her breasts are small - _too small?_ , she wonders with horror -, but she hopes he would like them the same, should they make love someday.

Then she looks up at him and stops. Solas is sleeping peacefully and she feels _filthy_.

She is staring at him and masturbating while he is asleep. When did she get so low? Has she truly lost all her decency just because her loins are on fire and her heart and mind can’t stop thinking about him?

Ashamed, she pulls down her nightgown and puts the blanket back how it was before; she glances at Solas, face burning, then timidly grabs his shirt, pinching it between her thumb and index finger, to feel him, since she doesn’t dare cuddle against him again.

She closes her eyes and falls asleep like that, hoping her dreams won’t show him anything embarrassing.

 

\- - - -

 

They are awakened by Josephine almost an hour later.

The Ambassador doesn’t enter, but she knocks on the door insistently and calls out for the Inquisitor. Important guests have come in visit without providing any advance notice and Scarlet’s presence is required downstairs as soon as possible.

“Understood!” Scarlet shouts back as she jumps out of bed, while a grumpy Solas sits up with a grunt and looks around with bleary eyes, annoyed by Josephine’s loud interruption.

He catches Scarlet’s wrist as she passes near him smiling and saying: “Good morning, _vhenan_!”

Her cheeks are red and there is still that odd… _panic_ in her eyes. He knows what is causing her to feel this way.

He didn’t miss her looks, now as shy as the time before the start of their relationship. He didn’t miss the way she fumbles with her words or steals quick glances of him as he is busy with something. He knows what burns in her heart every night when they go to bed, because it’s the same desire that burns in his.

But would it be right? Would it be right to soil her body and soul with less than chaste touches? He will have to leave once the Orb is back in his hands. He will have to proceed with his plans.

What then? She would only feel disgusted, hate him and hate herself, and she would regret their time together, the memories of bliss spent in bed would become bitter and poisonous to her heart and mind.

Also, there is the matter of their age difference. Bull wasn’t completely wrong when he brought it up.

Solas didn’t forget Scarlet is _infinitely_ younger than him and even if his are the looks of a middle-aged man, it’s still a great visible difference. She is young, lively, and the sun seems to shine brighter when she is around.

He feels - _he is_ \- old, grim, a slow wolf walking near the boundaries of dreams. There are wrinkles on his face, hands, and heart - although it’s true he feels younger, even more optimistic, since he is with Scarlet - and he doesn’t want his burden to crush her too.

So, even though his dreams and thoughts have been increasingly _obscene_ in the last days, much to his shame, he doesn’t dare say anything. He doesn’t deserve what she so desperately wishes to give him. Once things are over, she will be happy to have not made love with him and given him the immense privilege of being her first and filling her with his seed.

She will find a younger man who will heal her heart and she will donate him that gift she cherished for her true mate only.

The mere idea of Scarlet with someone else makes Solas feel like he is dying.

What… what if he won’t need to leave? What if there is another way? What if she - who surprises him day after day with her wisdom, kindness, and brilliance - believes him, accepts him, and together they find another, better path that will save the elven people?

What if he _can_ stay with her?

He realizes he has been staring at her for the whole time, lost in thought, and she is getting worried and nervous. She is still wearing her lovely nightgown and Solas admires the lovely shape of her breasts, the contour of her hips and waistline, her neck, until his eyes reach her face and he sees her blushing and looking at him with big golden eyes.

Without breaking eye contact, he slowly leans in until his mouth is pressed on her belly. It’s soft, because that’s where her womb is, and he feels his pants grow tight as Scarlet gasps and her fingers dig into his forearm.

Would she moan loudly as he thrusted into her? Would she whisper sweet things in his ear, like those that make him feel so loved and happy? Would freckles be on her collarbone and inside her thighs too? How does her quim look like?

He moans softly, a nearly inaudible thing, but she hears it the same and her blush spreads to her neck as her mouth hangs slightly open and she has no idea what to do.

He keeps planting open-mouth kisses on her belly, then moves her right hand - which he is still holding - near his cheek. He pulls away from her body and kisses her fingers, causing her to gasp and babble: “S-Solas!”

Her fingers taste differently than usual, but he doesn’t mind it. His mouth soon is back on her belly and his kisses become more heated, passionate, with a clear message behind them.

She is standing near him, while he is still sitting in bed, and he doesn’t get up: he wants her to be in charge, he wants her to know that she controls this and can tell him to stop whenever she wants.

Scarlet swallows and her hands timidly go behind his head, pulling him closer, then her sweaty palms tenderly massage his neck and bald head. She is breathing a bit heavily and a wet mark is forming on the nightgown where Solas is kissing her.

“ _Vhenan’ara_.” he murmurs. He desires her, in every way, with every possible meaning, and Scarlet’s eyes are even wider than before and she almost stumbles forward.

“Tell me what you want.” Solas says, watching her, never moving his eyes away from hers. His hand goes up, follows the lithe lines of her body until it reaches the underside of her left breast.

He doesn’t touch it without her permission. She looks too stunned to speak and his own heart is threatening to burst, so he timidly moves his hand to the small buttons she sewed on the nightgown to keep it closed and unbuttons the first one.

“ _Ma vhenan_. Tell me what you want.” he repeats, his voice softer than before, above a whisper. “I will stop immediately if this is not what you desire.”

She shakes her head, then, fearing he might misunderstand, adds with a shaky voice: “Please, don’t stop.”

Her hands now are touching his ears, her calloused thumbs are stroking his cheekbones, and Solas lets out a small, happy sigh, blushing as much as her. He kisses her chest, careful to avoid her breasts in case that is too much and she doesn’t want that yet, then unbuttons the next button too.

And then he sees the first glimpse of her naked breast and pink nipple and he is utterly, completely in awe.

He wants to lay her down on the bed and worship her. He wants to learn all the secrets of her body, all the parts that make her giggle and laugh, all the places where her tender flesh makes her moan and buck into his mouth when it’s kissed.

“My heart.” he moans. His hand gently slips into her nightgown and Scarlet, shaking and breathing as heavily as him, gasps.

Solas’ broad hand cups her breast, his fingers brush against her nipple, and he moans again as she presses herself incredibly close to him and wraps her arms around his neck.

“Solas!” she calls, her expression a mix of excitement, sheer surprise, and a bit of fear. “Solas, I…”

He removes his hand immediately, afraid of having hurt or frightened her, but she whines and puts it back on her breast.

They stare at each other, dumbfounded, breathless.

“I do not deserve you, _vhenan_.” Solas says and he draws his hand away a second time. He is scared again. He doesn’t want to hurt her. Not now, not ever. He doesn’t want her to regret this.

But then she leans down and presses a kiss on the top of his bald head.

She is smiling brightly and he can only gawk at her.

“I want you, Solas.” she finally says and he is, once again, completely in awe, lost in wonder and surprise. Even though he understood why she was acting like that, hearing her say it so explicitly still shocks him.

She wants _him_. Solas, the hobo elven apostate. Would she want Solas, the Dread Wolf, too?

He is not worthy of her.

His blush spreads all over his face and chest and he gets up, hands shaking, staring at her with a look of utter love in his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” she continues, her smile replaced by a sheepish, embarrassed face. “I tried to tell you before, but… I wasn’t sure you were interested or… or wanted me and…”

“Silly girl.” he says, voice hoarse. “I have desired you for a long time, _vhenan_ , more than you can imagine.”

“I can imagine it quite well, actually.” she giggles, her face turning beetle red, and Solas can see the relief flowing through her now that she finally revealed to him what she wants and has been reassured.

Then he realizes what she just said and grins, despite himself. His hands move to her waist and he teases her with a quick kiss, asking: “And what, exactly, did you imagine, _vhenan_?”

She splutters and refuses to answer and he laughs, pulling her into a strong embrace and a deep, aroused kiss.

She feels his painful erection pressed against her body and gasps into his mouth. He pulls away instantly, fearing he embarrassed her, but she is actually looking down at it with wonder and curiosity together.

He realizes again how young and innocent she is and how wicked _he_ is, wicked and disgusting.

But if another way exists, if another path to save the elves exists, maybe he won’t have to-

“Scarlet.” he says gently, raising her head and cradling it in his hands. “My love. I am much older than you.”

She frowns and replies with confidence: “I don’t care about that, Solas. I don’t mind it.” Then her face falls. “Do you?”

He smiles and raises his eyebrows. “I don’t mind it either.”

Scarlet smiles back, flustered, and mumbles: “I love our age difference.”

Solas grins and kisses her nose, but then gets serious again and continues softly: “I don’t want you to regret this, _vhenan_. There is no turning back if we…”

“Solas, I won’t regret it. How could I?” She strokes his cheek, then brings one of his hands to her mouth to kiss it. Her smile comes back, bigger than before. “I love you.”

He melts and all his doubts and fears are forgotten, shadow destroyed by the ray of light that she is.

“Oh, my love.” he whispers, choked up. He pulls her again into a tight hug and she laughs as he peppers her cheek with kisses.

“ _Ar lath, ma sa’lath_.” he says. “ _Bellanaris, bellanaris_.”

They are overjoyed and if there weren’t nobles waiting downstairs for her, it’s clear Scarlet would jump back into bed with him.

But it’s also clear that won’t be possible, at least for now. Josephine has come back and her knocks on the door are more impatient and panicked than before.

“Inquisitor, please! A Duke from Montsimmard keeps asking for you!”

“I’m coming!” Scarlet replies and when she turns back to Solas, she sees his roguish smirk and dark eyes.

“You are going to say that a lot tonight, _vhenan_.” he promises and she blinks, confused for a moment, before spluttering and babbling something while Solas _giggles_ with his lips pressed on her cheek.

She still has to change into something more suitable; she is about to remove her nightgown in front of him, but he stops her, smiling.

“No, my love. I want to admire your naked beauty tonight, without haste.”

Scarlet smiles back and kisses him before entering one of the two closets in the room with clothes in her arms. When she comes out, Solas is waiting for her near the stairs.

She throws her nightgown on the bed and runs to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tightly, laughing happily.

“Oh, I am going to think about you for the whole day!” she exclaims, bouncing on her feet. Then she admires the dimples on his cheeks just like he admires hers and adds softly, stars in her eyes: “I… I will see you at lunch then.”

“Yes. Come visit me in the rotunda if you have time too.” He kisses her forehead and his smile is kind and mischievous at the same time. “Try not to get tired, _vhenan_. We have much to do tonight.”

She giggles and Solas has to kiss and hold her again, the urge too strong to be ignored, his need for her, for her laughter, smile, and kisses too powerful.

“ _Ar lath, ma vhenan_.” she says, radiant, and he has to use all his willpower to let her go down the stairs.

His blush punctually returns and it gets even redder as she waves at him before opening the door.

They smile like two dorks for the whole day.

 

\- - - -

 

It’s late when they finally retire for the night, walking up the stairs of the Inquisitor’s - _their_ \- room hand in hand.

Scarlet is shaking again and she is paler than usual, while Solas’ hand is sweaty, despite his seemingly relaxed expression.

She has been overjoyed for the entire day, carrying her enthusiasm and emotions everywhere around the fortress, surprising her companions - who knows she is usually more reserved than that - and the nobles who never saw her be so extroverted.

But now she is back to her usual timid self again and her trepidation mixed with various fears is evident on her face.

They reach the top of the stairs and she smiles at him with suns in her eyes and fire all into her body. He reaches for her other hand and then rests his forehead on hers, smiling.

“I…” she starts, before stopping, taking a deep breath, and trying again: “I… I don’t know how to do this.”

Solas kisses her forehead, then nods at the bed, his smile sweeter.

“I believe we should start by sitting on the bed.”

“Oh! Right!” She lightens up and all but rushes to the bed with him, sitting on the edge of it with a confident, radiant smile.

One step closer to the main objective, she seems to think, and Solas chuckles, touched by her endearing behavior.

He hasn’t changed his mind. Surprisingly, his usually grim mind hasn’t convinced him this might lead to trouble during the day and he feels ready to give her the best night he is can.

He only wants to make sure she is still sure about this as well.

“My love.” he says and she immediately gets more attentive, even leaning in to listen better. “Do you still want to do this? We cannot go back once…”

“Of course I do!” she exclaims, surprised that he even asked. “Solas, I want you.” She scoots closer to him and grips tightly his hands. Her cheeks are two glowing red dots now.

“More than anything else in the world.”

His heart swells at that and he can’t breathe. Even when he was only Solas and not Fen’Harel yet, nobody ever treated him with much respect in Elvhenan. His ideas were deemed foolish and dangerous even there and to hear these words, pronounced by Scarlet, is… is overwhelming and precious and beautiful all the same.

He doesn’t deserve this. He doesn’t deserve her. Now, more than ever, this is clear.

Is there a way for him to become worthy? Can he do something to be a better man and give her a better life, a life where they can be together?

Choked up, he reaches for her and pulls her into his arms; he raises a hand to stroke her cheek, then kisses her, a deep kiss that leaves her breathless and excited, hungry for more.

“I-I read some books.” she blurts out as soon as they pull away. He blinks, not having expecting that, and she continues, looking at the buttons of his sweater, red hair falling like a protective curtain near her face:

“I’m not sure how reliable they are, but I think I know more about the basics now. But…” She finally raises her eyes to him and swallows, looking mortified. “The women in those books were described in a… certain way. They were great at this, even if some of them were virgins, and they were beautiful and alluring, with great breasts and child-bearing hips.”

“ _Vhenan_.” Solas says, both sternly and gently, frowning a little. “Don’t ever doubt your beauty. You are wonderful and the protagonists of those books are described in that way only for literary purposes.”

“It’s just…” She smiles at him, proud of _him_ and happy. “ _You_ are so beautiful and sometimes I fear I’m not enough for you. I was scared of disappointing you, so I read those books, but I can’t change my looks and…”

Him? Beautiful? He was never called that before. He doesn’t even consider himself like that, knowing his appearances are actually odd: his long face and bald head never made a great impression on anyone.

Except for Scarlet. She is looking at him in such a way, with so much wonder and love, that he gets flustered and opens and closes his mouth a few times before being able to reply.

“Scarlet.” he gently interrupts her. He smiles and shakes his head, unable to believe someone like her actually wants someone like him.

Some of his fears come back. He is only going to soil her, make her feel dirty. She will regret this, she will hate him even more once it’s over and she will have discovered who he is and what he has to do.

Then hope comes back too, on time like always, as if lured in by the cold shadow of fear lurking in his head.

This is important to Scarlet - and to him too. If he suddenly steps back now, she will believe it’s her fault and will feel miserable.

He cannot do that to her. Now they are here, on her - _their_ \- bed and changing idea is not an option anymore. He prays he will be able to fix things in the future, to make her suffer less, to not make her suffer _at all_.

“You are perfect in every way and you must never doubt this.” he says softly, watching her cheeks get red and her eyes widen with a smile. “I will worship you tonight, _ma sa’lath_.”

She is at loss for words for a long second, then smiles as well and replies with equal tenderness:

“Only if you will let me do the same to you, _vhenan_.”

He blushes and a surge of emotion risks to overwhelm him again, like a tall wave, but he doesn’t choke on the happy sob building in his throat and nods.

She hesitates for a short while and he gives her all the time she needs, without hurry. She slowly reaches for his sweater and pinches it between her index finger and thumb.

“May I?” she asks and Solas answers with a chuckle and a second nod. He raises his arms as she pulls up the sweater and lets her remove it completely; he now sits wearing only his leather straps, his pants, and his jawbone pendant.

The straps are tighter and more difficult to take off, so he helps her. He stays perfectly still as she observes his naked chest and, once again, feels ugly, both inside and outside, but this time especially outside.

He knows he has the body of a middle-aged man who in reality is even older. He knows he isn’t that much well-built and his toned muscles are being replaced by softer flesh and a bit of tummy, probably caused by his age and too many frilly cakes.

He wonders how she can consider him _beautiful_ when he looks like that. He thinks of the young men fighting for her attention every day - Loranil, one of the merchants in the courtyard, the bolder nobles, even Cillian - and feels like an old beast with rabies.

Scarlet is still staring at him, _awe_ in her eyes, and she timidly brings a hand to his chest to brush her fingertips on it.

“I…” Solas babbles. He clears his throat. “I looked better when I was younger.”

As soon as those words leave his mouth, he wants to set himself on fire or jump down of one of the balconies.

 _‘Of course, you fool!’_ he inwardly groans, cursing himself. _‘Of course you looked better centuries ago! Everyone does, what are you even trying to say?’_

Then Scarlet giggles.

She leans in to kiss his chest and he babbles some more, one of his hands snapping forward to grab her shirt, as if to feel safer.

“You have freckles everywhere!” she says happily, beaming at him. She goes back to kiss his chest and Solas feels like fainting or something close to it. It’s like their roles are reversed: now he is the flustered, timid, stammering one, although Scarlet hasn’t lost any of her shyness.

In fact, she is as red as him.

Her smile is sweeter and not surprised at all when she brings her hand lower to touch his belly.

There are little, faint scars on his body and his skin is not as elastic as it was once, but she doesn’t seem bothered by it; on the contrary, she looks even more excited than before. She chuckles and grins at him, before poking his stomach and making him squeal.

“I knew you had a soft tummy.” she grins, before kissing his shoulder.

“Too many sweets.” Solas grumbles under his breath, but Scarlet looks _elated_ and gives him a long-lasting kiss which makes their heads dizzy and light.

“I _love_ it.” she whispers, her full lips brushing against his, and Solas’ heart skips a beat as he stares into her kind, loving eyes. Her fingers gently caress his cheek. “And you look beautiful, Solas.”

He is going to cry soon and he can’t let that happen. He swallows his tears of joy and a shaky smile curls his lips, although there is still a thin, visible veil across his eyes and his face is all red.

“That is my line.” he says hoarsely and Scarlet laughs again as he raises his hand and caresses her cheek in return. She bites her lower lip when two of his fingers tease her ear and he wants to kiss her again.

And so he does, gasping surprised as she timidly slips her tongue into his mouth.

Her hands goes to his chest, warm palms resting on it, and he is sure she can feel his heart beat without control. His own hands are on her waist, trembling, because he wants to touch her and _see_ her.

“ _Vhenan_.” he breathes out, roaming his hands on her back, not wanting to upset or scare her with unsolicited touches. “ _Vhenan_ , may I…”

He glances down at her shirt for a second, his mouth refusing to cooperate, but Scarlet understands the same and her smile changes a bit, turning timid and even a bit sheepish, as if she already wants to apologize for what he is about to see.

He presses a reassuring peck on her lips, then slowly, almost cautiously, moves his hands on the buttons of her shirt. He waits some seconds, in case she still isn’t sure and wants to change her mind; once he is sure she wants to continue, he does so, unclasping the first button like he did that morning with the ones of her nightgown.

He is going to burst. That, or he will faint, he is sure of that.

Scarlet looks as excited and nervous as him and her hands, resting on her lap, won’t stop shaking.

Solas presses small, light kisses on her face as he keeps unbuttoning her shirt; he stops half-way, much to her surprise, to take her hands and gently place them on his waist to help her distract herself.

“There.” he says with a smile, resuming his work with the buttons. “I was already missing your touch.”

She laughs softly and promptly traces his muscles and lines of his body with her fingers and seems to calm down.

She grows worried again, though, when Solas opens her shirt and her breastband is visible to him.

“Wait, let me…” She wriggles a little to take off her shirt, but accidentally hits Solas on the stomach with her elbow and her panic rises.

“S-Sorry!” she babbles, staring at him, as if she has just stabbed him.

A surge of emotion fills Solas’ heart and he smiles at her, while gently and quietly pulling away the shirt still hanging loose from her shoulders and throwing it atop of his sweater on the floor.

He sees the decorations on her breastband, but avoids staring at them too much, not wanting to embarrass her; she is already anxious enough and she is looking at everything but him.

Her cheeks are red, but the rest of her face is pale and Solas slowly wraps his arms around her, careful not to startle her.

Scarlet gasps all the same, but hugs him back without hesitating.

“My love.” he whispers in her ear. Her small breasts are pressed against his chest and a warm shiver runs down his spine. “May I?”

She nods, looks about to say something, but then changes her mind and nods again.

He feels the clasp of her breastband under his hand and tries to open it, all while smiling at her and brushing his lips on her forehead to reassure her.

Then he frowns and tugs at the clasp. It stubbornly refuses to move.

“Uh.” He looks beyond her shoulder to see what the problem is. “This is harder than I thought.”

“You thought about this before?” Scarlet asks, voice muffled, and Solas freezes.

He _did_. Before falling asleep or while he was at his desk. He did think about slowly undressing her and making her feel good, either with his hands or cock.

Sometimes he even imagined using his tongue, but it’s still too early for that. He forced himself not to think about those things, for multiple reasons, one of them being his respect for Scarlet, another his terrible fears and doubts about the future.

Also he always got _hard_ and that was hardly appropriate, especially in a public space like the rotunda.

“I…” he starts, then falls silent. He tries to unlock the clasp again, to no avail, and he can’t use that as an excuse to change topic. She is waiting for an answer, so he blurts out:

“I thought about this many times before, yes.”

Scarlet doesn’t reply, but he can feel her tremble again. Is she offended? Is she getting worried and nervous due to the wait and this little inconvenience? Is she changing her mind?

Solas starts sweating and his tugs at the clasp become more insistent, but the damn thing just doesn’t want to open. Scarlet hides her face into his neck and he begins to panic.

“Wait, I… I think I know what to do.” he lies, having absolutely no idea how this _contraption_ works.

He pulls at it one, two, three, _four_ times and then…

And then he hears a horrible, tearing sound.

The silver clasp falls onto his hand while Scarlet’s breastband falls and she bursts into a happy, loud laughter.

He realizes she was shaking because of mirth and not fear; there are tears in her eyes as she pulls away to look at him, but they are caused by joy and amusement.

She brings her hands to her mouth to cover her laughter, forgetting about her bare chest, and Solas, despite his shame and embarrassment, snorts and looks at the clasp in his hand.

“I… I am sorry.” he says sheepishly, his smile broadening as Scarlet cackles and falls back on the bed.

He grins and lies down his side, propping himself on his elbow to look at her. Scarlet’s giggles and laughs slowly subside, until she is left breathless and flushed.

“It’s alright, Solas.” she pants, grinning at him. “I’ll sew it back later.”

She sees his tender look, notices how his eyes never wander lower, and gasps, realizing her current state of undress.

She looks at her bare chest and then back at him, waiting for his comment with hopeful eyes.

Solas delicately traces the underside of her breasts like he did that morning, watching her reactions; when he is sure she is enjoying this, he touches her nipples and Scarlet gasps and bucks into his hand as if burned.

But it a _pleasant_ burning and her hands claw the sheets as he gently cups her left breast and massages it.

The hand he was using to prop himself is now caressing her hair and a timid, but bright smile blooms on Scarlet’s face.

“You are beautiful, _vhenan_.” Solas says, awe and wonder in his voice and eyes.

She is. She is absolutely stunning, perfect, and he loves every part of her.

He runs a finger down the space between her breasts, tickling her, and she giggles, before biting her lips as he brings that same finger back on her nipple.

“We are still wearing our pants.” she says and he nods slowly, carefully bringing the finger to the upper part of her breast. Then he cups it to massage it again and she moans.

His breathing gets heavier and his eyes dark. That sound shook him to his very core and he wants to hear it again. He wants to…

He wants to kiss her _there_ and so he does, never breaking eye contact; he leans down until his mouth is on her nipple and then sucks lightly.

The breath that Scarlet was holding comes out through the same moan from before and her hand searches blindly for his on her other breast.

Solas keeps sucking and licking her chest until she is writhing and whimpering under him; at some point, she regains her breath and voice and asks quickly:

“Did… did you think about this too?”

Her other hand is on Solas’ head, looking for contact and something to hold onto, but she doesn’t pull him back on her chest when he slightly raises his head to look at her.

“Yes.” he answers, lips wet and eyes filled with fire. “Yes, _vhenan_. I thought about this and _much more_.”

“Me too.” she smiles and Solas’ heart skips a beat. She looks _perfect_ , with her hair sprawled under her head like a pillow of red leaves, with her flushed face showing all her happiness and love, and her hands touching him and making sure he is close to her as much as possible.

He rests his hand on her stomach, then kisses her and she doesn’t miss the chance to press her body flush against his. He chuckles and tickles her belly, making her snort and roll on her side.

“Stop it!” she laughs and he chuckles again as he hugs her from behind and brings a hand to her chest to play and arouse her at the same time. She relaxes immediately and makes a happy, low sound, like a hum, turning her head back to look at him.

He pecks her nose and watches a new blush spread on her face.

“Is that…” She raises her eyebrows and her next words are a whisper. “Is that your…?”

Solas plants the sweetest of kisses on her shoulder and replies, whispering as well: “It is.”

He even rolls his hips against hers and she gasps, wide-eyed.

Then she is smiling again and her hand is resting innocently right above his erection, its weight making Solas squirm and grind slowly against her.

“Can we take our pants off now?” she asks; he squeezes her breast, grinning when she laughs again, then nods.

“Of course.”

They sit up and Scarlet, surprisingly, is the first one to move: she throws away her boots first, then pulls down her beige pants in one swift motion, kicking them away as well.

She sits, tense and nervous, with her hands on her lap. Solas notices how her smalls are the same color and have the same decorations as her breastband, and smiles.

She raises her eyes, watches him, then mumbles: “You aren’t taking them off.”

Solas’ smile is bright.

“I was admiring you.”

He slides an arm around her waist and she is quick to react. She wraps her arms around him so tightly he is left breathless for a moment, but then her lips are covering his face and that is enough to make him feel alive like never before.

His hands find her butt and she squeals, the sound turning into laughter, when he squeezes it. Her soft breasts are pressed on his chest and Solas touches one again, while keeping his other hand on her ass.

Her hands are on his face, cradling it as they kiss and her tongue timidly looks for his. But then she gets bolder and brings them lower until they are teasing his erection a second time.

Solas moans and she gasps, staring at him like she heard the best sound in the world. He blushes and starts to apologize, but she shakes her head and squishes his cheeks, something that she likes to do a lot.

“Silly man.” she smiles, rubbing her nose on his. “Why are you apologizing for something like that? I want you to feel good, Solas.”

Her hands go down again and he can’t help but let out another moan. She looks enraptured and so happy, happy _for him_.

“ _Vhenan_.” he breathes out, bucking into her touch as she slowly unties the strings of his torn pants.

He squeezes her breasts, teases her hard nipples until she is frantically tugging at the strings and whimpering as loud as him; his other hand leaves her butt to rub her hipbones and touch the thin red hairs peeking out from her smalls.

His mouth is on her neck, sucking her tender flesh and feeling her heart beat furiously under it.

Then she finally finds his erection, hard and pushing against his breeches, and it’s like she is on fire.

She doesn’t dare grab it, but her fingers stroke it, up and down, down and up, until Solas is a panting mess and he can’t hold back any longer.

He doesn’t want to scare her or hurt her, though, so he pulls her away with extreme effort and tries to regain his breath.

Then he smiles, to show her that everything is fine and she didn’t do anything wrong.

“We should take off our underwear.” he says, then chuckles and shakes his head. “Otherwise I fear I will end up dirtying mine.”

Scarlet giggles, then does something that greatly surprises him: instead of hesitating or letting him be the first to undress completely, she stretches her legs - her marvelous legs - out and pulls her smalls all the way down to the floor.

Solas sees her womanhood, the faint red hairs covering it, her small navel and soft tummy, the little freckles she has there. He sees the naked, round shape of her butt and _stares_.

He does that until Scarlet shifts - uncomfortably? - on the bed; he blinks and focuses his gaze back on her eyes and finds her smiling.

“Don’t ask me to stand up.” she whispers, fidgeting nervously, but with great joy shining on her round, glowing face. “Or I will probably faint.”

Solas laughs and she does the same. For a long moment, they look at each other, smiling, then he murmurs, wonder and adoration in his voice:

“ _Ma vhenan_ , you are beautiful.”

He looks at the little scars on her thighs and legs, at the more toned muscles of her arms, at the gentle curve of her neck, at the forms of her breasts and the pink dots of her nipples.

He looks at the patch of red hairs between her legs and imagines lying between them, giving her pleasure and bliss.

Then he realizes she is looking at him too, in the same way. She looks at his chest, at his head, at his hands resting on the bed near hers, at his feet, then at his face.

She smiles and Solas, blushing like never before, removes his pants and breeches and sits back on the bed with his erection standing proud and tall between his legs.

He feels nervous. Excited. Frightened and hopeful all at once and he studies Scarlet’s reaction to know what to do.

At first, she gasps and her eyes get bigger, containing only surprise, curiosity, and a great dose of… awe?

Then something else appears in them too and she giggles, a hand covering her mouth.

He is going to combust. With horror, he looks down at his dick and manages to croak out: “What… what is wrong?”

Did she expect it to be bigger? Thicker? Different?

“I knew it!” she whispers, beaming at him, who can just gape at her. “You have freckles there too!”

He looks down again.

“… Freckles?”

And then he feels her lips on his cheek and her hand is just a two inches from his hard length.

“You are beautiful, Solas.” she says, radiant. “ _Ma vhenan_.”

He can’t help but keep staring at her like she is a miracle unfolding right before his very eyes.

 _She is_ , he thinks and the fact that she is looking at him in the same way makes his eyes swell with tears again.

“I…”

She presses another kiss on his cheek. Her smile is blinding and he is getting lost into her golden eyes. “May I?”

She is referring to her hand about to touch his manhood. He nods and makes sure to pull her closer again and places a hand on her chest as before.

She timidly runs her fingers down his cock, studying the texture and warmth. Solas bits his lips, groans, and jumps slightly, but she understands it’s a reaction caused by pleasure and continues.

She always glances up at him to make sure she is not hurting him, though, and he nuzzles her hair while rubbing his thumb on her nipple.

She finally wraps her fingers around his erection and the grip is instantly tight, confident. She is looking at him, at his body, with enthusiasm and _wonder_ , admiration, like he truly is a work of art.

Her hand starts moving and he is utterly lost.

“It’s warm!” she comments, innocent and cheerful, while Solas moans and pants with his face pressed on her shoulder. She grins - he can see her - and speeds up.

“Is this alright?” she asks, rubbing the head of his manhood and spreading his precum. She knows perfectly that it is more than alright and he grins back, playfulness shining in his gray-blue eyes.

“You wicked girl.” he groans, body shook by shivers of bliss and mirthful chuckles. She giggles and speeds up a bit, making him moan loud into her ear as he playfully bites her earlobe.

She is panting too, mostly due to his words and the hand on her breast. Hand that now is moving lower, asking for permission to touch her cunt.

“Solas…” she starts, licking her lips. She is getting worried again. “Solas, it’s _big_.”

His eyes widen. He doesn’t tell her that there are better dicks, _bigger_ dicks. He is… average, he thinks.

But she looks profoundly stunned.

“Will it fit?” she whispers, fearing hers is a stupid question, but it is not, it’s endearing and he smiles at her. “I mean, I read that it _usually_ does, but…”

“It will, my love.” he reassures her. “It will.”

He nuzzles her hair a second time, humming, then adds: “But first we need to do something.”

“Your hand, right?” She squeezes his length one last time before letting it go. “I… I read about the preparations too.”

Solas quirks an eyebrow, smirking, and she pouts, poking his tummy.

“You read about this?” he laughs, grabbing her hands before she can poke him again. She uses her feet instead to tease his and he lunges forward to bite her lips.

She falls on the bed and Solas follows her, going back to the same position as before when he was touching her chest.

“I did!” she answers with a grin. He doesn’t know how she can look both so timid and cheeky at the same time. “I wanted to do everything right. It was educational!” Her eyes widen and she stares at the wall with horror. “… I hope.”

Solas lets out a boyish, cheerful laugh, which ends with a snort like usual, and says: “Don’t worry, _vhenan_.” He leans down, his smile roguish. “It will be perfect, just like you.”

Scarlet doesn’t waste time and throws her arms around him; she seems much interested in discovering all the parts of his body with her hands and he does the same, exploring the soft expanses of pale skin with care.

“You are gorgeous.” he says softly, mouth near hers, and even though she is so excited and happy she can barely speak, she replies: “Not as much as you.”

He has to take a deep breath before being able to continue. His eyes sting and he can feel the familiar lump of tears building again in his throat.

He rests down at her side and tangles his legs with hers, then rests a hand upon her stomach, waiting for her permission.

“Ready, my heart?” he asks and she nods quickly, bringing her hand to his cock as well. She is smiling, trusting him completely, and he thinks all this is too precious, too beautiful, too pure for him to break and tarnish.

But that stubborn, _lovely_ hope in his heart doesn’t want to leave him and so he accepts it and trusts it, praying everything will be alright once the Orb has been recovered.

Right now he wants to focus on this, on giving Scarlet everything he can give her and even more.

He brushes the first digit against her folds. Soft and plump, like he imagined them. She is already wet for him and _warm_ , so warm he cups her cunt with his broad palm to feel that warmth more.

Her legs instinctively widen and she tenses up a bit; both her hands are on his shoulders, anchoring her to him, and her breathing is quick and heavy, her eyes wide and attentive.

“ _Vhenan’ara_.” he murmurs, while parting the hairs around her womanhood. He finds her entrance, but doesn’t slip his finger in. “If this becomes uncomfortable or you do not want to continue for _any_ reason, tell me. Don’t feel ashamed - just tell me and I will stop immediately. Understood?”

She nods and says with a loving smile: “Understood.”

And so he slips the finger in, slowly and carefully, and she gasps. She is tense and staying perfectly still against him. Her eyes wander across his body, focus on the jawbone pendant he is still wearing around his neck, clearly adjusting to the sensation of having his finger inside her.

“Does it hurt?” he asks, already panicking. He doesn’t dare move his hand, afraid of hurting her, but the look she gives him makes him chuckle.

She is _happy_ and so, so aroused.

“It’s… strange, but so good!” she giggles, then frowns and rolls her hips a bit, demanding more. “Deeper.”

“So greedy.” he grins, before obliging. A strangled moan leaves her mouth and then another as he starts moving the finger in an out, slowly at first, then faster.

“I never thought it would be like this.” she says between heavy pants. Solas’ face is near her and he is staring intently at her, studying every change in her expression, every twitch of her lips, every light that appears in her golden eyes.

“It’s so good, Solas!” she continues, giggling, happy beyond words. “It’s like… it’s like… oh, I don’t know!”

She follows the thrusts of his hand with little difficulty and then remembers his hard manhood, still standing up between his legs and rubbing against her thigh.

“There it is.” she laughs and Solas can’t really comment, because he is breathless again and he can’t even form the words in his mind while her dainty fingers are wrapped around his cock like that.

So he decides to counterattack. He knows how vulnerable she is to a certain type of words.

“Your cunt is so soft.” he smiles sweetly, watching her eyes go wide and feeling her hand stop. “And so very _wet_ , my heart. Do you hear this sound?”

He flexes his finger a little inside her and it makes a squelching noise which arouses them both beyond words.

“Perfect.” Solas continues, bringing his mouth to her neck to kiss it, bite it gently, and lick it. “Absolutely perfect.”

Scarlet is biting her lips and asking for more friction, clearly getting close to a minor climax, but then…

Her hand squeezes his erection and she says, moving it faster than before: “I love your voice. I love it when you laugh, when you whisper sweet things in my ear, when you snort, when you get angry and grumble, when you call me _vhenan_ , when you tell me you love me.”

She slightly twists her hand and presses her thumb on the head of his cock. Solas lets out a strangled, choked sound and adds a second finger to the one already inside her.

Scarlet gasps and babbles something, before recovering from the spark of pleasure and continuing, her eyes the only thing Solas is able to see and focus on:

“I want to hear you come too. I want you to come inside me, because… because…” She is too flustered to continue, but he understands the same.

There are tears in her eyes and her smile is bright, forming dimples on her glowing cheeks. Her movements are erratic now and when Solas’ thumb brushes against her clitoris, she cries out, hiding her face against his neck to keep moaning there.

“Solas!” she babbles, squirming and shivering in bliss. “Solas, I want to…!”

And then he removes his hand. He is breathing as heavily as her and his eyes are dark, an intense passion burning in them, together with the same kindness and love they have been showing each other for the whole night.

He licks his fingers, sucks them, making sure Scarlet is watching him.

Then he blinks and looks at them, surprised.

“I tasted this before.” he says, then it hits him.

Scarlet is hiding her face again, this time against the mattress, but he manages to see her face by tickling her.

“ _Vhenan_.” he grins as she whines and refuses to meet his eyes. “I tasted this on your fingers this morning.”

“You…” she starts, then huffs and kicks his legs. He bursts into laughing and holds her even closer, letting her feel the vibrations of his laughter reverberate through him and reach her heart.

“You look gorgeous when you are sleeping.” she suddenly says, the silence in the room carrying her timid whisper across it.

She thoughtfully traces the teeth of Solas’ pendant with a finger, then raises her eyes to him and smiles sheepishly.

“So I… uh, _tried_ to touch myself?”

Solas stares at her for a moment, speechless, then laughs softly. He is flattered, even proud, because she wanted to touch herself while looking at _him_.

He doesn’t know how to reply to that. He can just say one thing.

“Thank you.” He is smiling so much his cheeks hurt.

“Now I don’t need to do that, though.” she giggles, before lying back on the bed and opening her arms to welcome him in her embrace. “You are here, awake, and I have every intention of keeping you between my legs for the entire night.”

“Mh!” His smile is gentle and hungry at the same time. “Is that a promise, _vhenan_?”

She nods, humming, and brushes a foot across his thigh until it hits his sack. Solas inhales and she wiggles her eyebrows.

“ _Wicked girl_.” he growls, descending upon her, muffling her giggles and laughter with kisses.

It takes them a short while to understand how to proceed. Their current position - Scarlet on her back, Solas between her thighs - looks like the best one to start, but legs are confusing and their worry hasn’t melted away completely.

She accidentally hits him in the face with her arm and spends at least five minutes apologizing, until he successfully calms her down with a kiss and a finger flicking her clit.

Then he accidentally hits her stomach with his foot and she has to reassure him at least thrice before he stops saying ‘sorry’ and kissing her belly.

It’s been a long time since he saw scenes of sex in the Fade and his memory of them isn’t that great.

He proceeds cautiously, wishing to give Scarlet the best night of her life, the one she deserves.

He makes sure she is comfortable, studies the best approach to initiate, and almost falls off the bed, making Scarlet laugh until her cheeks are as red as her hair again.

“Hush.” Solas grins, teasing her entrance with the tip of his manhood. He swats her hand when she tries to poke his stomach again. “Stop it, you adorable woman. Let me focus.”

She sticks out her tongue at him, but doesn’t insist and stays still as he finally - _finally_ \- slips into her.

They both gasp and her hands automatically grasp his shoulders, looking for support. Her breathing is frantic like before and there is an expression of mild discomfort on her face.

Solas doesn’t move for two reasons: one, he doesn’t want to hurt her; two, he is as overwhelmed as she is.

She is _tight_ and wonderfully warm and _slick_ and his heart is beating fast like a hammer, a drum in his ears thankfully not loud enough to cover Scarlet’s moans.

Because she _is_ moaning. Softly, shyly, but she is doing it even though he is still like a statue.

“Does… does it hurt?” he asks, so worried and panicked he mistakes those noises for sounds of pain. “ _Ma vhenan_ , do you want me to stop?”

“You are inside me.” she murmurs, completely in awe, watching the point where their bodies are united. “Solas, you are…”

His pendant is hitting her breasts - her delicious, soft breasts -, so he removes it with a swift gesture and throws it behind his back, distractedly hearing its ‘thud’ as it falls on the ground.

And then Scarlet throws her arms around his neck and murmurs, pressing kisses all over his flushed, sweaty face: “Move, _ma sa’lath_ , please, I want you, I want to feel you, I want you _I want you I want you_ …”

And so he does. He moves within her, slowly at first, then faster and he melts in her arms, in her bone-crushing and heart-warming embrace.

There is wonder on her face and she meets his thrusts awkwardly; eventually they find their rhythm and she looks even more pleasantly surprised when the bliss increases and Solas makes louder noises.

“You are hard.” she giggles as he plants heated, wet pecks all over her face. “So hard and thick.”

“And you are soft, my love.” he hums. “And so, so deliciously tight.”

“Is that a good…” She stops, letting out a strangled moan which turns into a low whimper as he finds her clitoris again. “That’s not fair!”

“Of course it is.” he grins, continuing to rub the nub peeking out of its hood. He kisses her nose. “Want me to go faster, _ma vhenan_?”

“Wait.” She pulls him closer instead and his heart stops when he sees the look of adoration on her face. “Can we go slow? I want to savor this. I…”

She breathes out a soft laughter and rests her forehead on his, taking his face in her hands and caressing his cheeks and ears.

“I want to make love to you. Until dawn, no, forever.”

She traces his features with her lips and all he can do is keep thrusting into her and listening to her words of love. There are tears in his eyes again and he isn’t even surprised anymore.

She compliments him. She tells him how good and kind he is, how much she loves him, how much she is lucky to have him in her life.

Sometimes she has to stop because he hit a special point in her body which makes her toes curl and her throat go raw. But she always continues as soon as air is back in her lungs and her mind is less full of white, brilliant bliss.

And Solas cries. Not because of worry, fear, sorrow, but out of _joy_. Pure, sheer joy, so much and so complete he nearly doesn’t recognize it. He moves within her, babbling replies to her words, and tears come into her eyes too as she smiles up at him.

She is perfect and he doesn’t deserve her, but he cannot stop. Her love is too much and he is selfish, greedy, wicked and wants it all.

He wants to give his to her, centuplicated, and so he does, the greatest gift he can give her, the biggest truth he possesses.

He loves her, he loves her more than anything else in the world, and he moans and cries against her neck as he speeds up and feels her fingers dig into his back and hears her approach her climax.

He raises his head to see her and thinks they are not close enough, even though their bodies are basically mixed together at this point.

So he slips out of her - for a terrible moment, her absence feels like death - and sits up against the pillows and headboard of the bed. He takes her into his lap and there she is again, smiling and giggling, arms once again wrapped around his shoulders.

He tells her what she told him and even more. He worships her with his words and body alike and watches her cheeks burn hot as he compliments her kindness and brilliance and thanks her for her love.

She bounces up and down his cock, slower this time; they help each other adjust to the new position, take their time, touch and caress each other’s body, discover each other.

He kisses and licks her breasts and she discovers she can tightens the walls of her womanhood to give him more pleasure. He sucks hickeys on her neck and she playfully bites his earlobes.

He risks to fall off the bed again, but thankfully Scarlet holds him and they end up laughing so much they cry again.

They come like that, with happy tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces.

Scarlet watches him with rapture as he spends his semen inside her and he kisses her wet cheeks and brushes back her sweaty hair as her orgasm ripples through her.

“Magnificent.” he says, helping her lie down on the bed. He plants delicate smooches all over her chest, neck, and then face. “Absolutely perfect.”

Scarlet grins, a bit sleepy, and he grins back, feeling more alive than ever. She lifts her head to check the bed and frowns.

“There is no blood.” she notices. “My friends in the clan told me there is always blood.”

Horror fills her eyes and shifts her features.

“Solas, are you sure we had sex?”

It takes him a long moment to understand what she asked. He opens his mouth to answer, but he doesn’t really know what to say to _that_.

“I-I mean…!” She is panicking now. “The other girls in the clan told me it hurt a lot and blood came out when they did it! But I didn’t feel pain, only a slight burn at the start, and the sheets aren’t stained!”

She sits up and wrings her hands, looking down at him with something akin to despair written on her face.

“Did… Did I do something wrong?” She swallows. “Did you like it?”

“ _Vhenan_!”

Solas sits up as well and takes her right hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles and fingertips.

“Scarlet, it was _perfect_.” he says, pulling her into his arms like before. “There are no words to describe it. I enjoyed it immensely.”

“I did too. It was the best thing in the world.” She sighs and glances at the bed. “But the blood…”

Solas scoffs and pushes her back onto the pillows, an annoyed frown directed at her friends etched on his face.

“Your friends’ mates were clearly impatient fools who cared little for their lovers’ wellbeing. This is something that must be done together. Hurry only brings pain, discomfort, and blood.”

“So this is the correct way to do it?” Scarlet looks dumbfounded. “But even the books said…!”

He is going to burn those things.

“The books are wrong as well.” he tells her, fixing the pillows under her head and pulling up the blankets to create a comfortable den.

He snorts seeing her confused expression and adds: “ _Vhenan_ , trust me. The Fade taught me this as well.”

She finally smiles and that sight fills every crevice of his old body and heart with warmth.

“So it was the best kind of sex?”

She nestles at his side and he chuckles, combing her hair with his long fingers and tangling their legs together as they do every night.

“Indeed.” He kisses her. “Thank you for this, _vhenan’ara_. I…”

A heavy lump grows into his throat, but he swallows it and the new tears, saying with a smile as bright as hers: “I loved it.”

“I loved it too.” She nuzzles his neck and touches the muscles of his chest. “Every part of it. And I am the one who must thank you, you…”

She stops for a moment, then cradles his face in her hands again. She seems to love doing that a lot and Solas adores it too.

“Thank you, _vhenan’ara_.” she says, eyes shining with the same adoration he saw before. “I will always cherish this.”

He swallows, nods, and presses his forehead on hers, inhaling her scent mixed with the one of sex and sweat.

“This was real, my beloved.” he murmurs, bringing one of her hands - the right one - to his chest, right over his heart. “Always remember it. This was real and filled with love.”

They kiss, but don’t fall asleep immediately. Instead, they spend some minutes talking and joking, playing and cuddling.

As the sun quietly rises above the Frostback Mountains, they enter the Fade, hand in hand and as cheerful and playful as in the waking world.

There, waiting for them, are some of Solas’ spirit friends and the first question they ask is about their night of love.

**Author's Note:**

> IT IS DONE. AFTER MONTHS OF PLANNING AND WRITING. IT IS DONE. I ALSO MANAGED TO POST THIS ON THE DA KINKMEME.
> 
> I FINALLY WROTE SOLAS AND SCARLET MAKING LOVE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I AM SO HAPPY ಥ‿ಥ
> 
> As usual, I'd like to apologize for my smut. ;_; I know it feels awkward at times and this chapter is so long I got tired (and sleepy) multiple times while writing it. So I apologize for any typos too.
> 
> Also, I know I probably am the minority, but I like to imagine that Solas was too busy with his rebellion to actually think about sex, so he is an old virgin who only saw sex in the Fade and received the Talk from the spirits.
> 
> For those interested, here is [Scarlet!](http://lafaiette.tumblr.com/scarletlavellan)
> 
> There are also some pictures made by amazing artists too! <3 [This one](http://lafaiette.tumblr.com/image/117797634475) by [Syberfab](http://syberfab.tumblr.com/post/117768483768/commission-for-lafaiette-their-inquisitor-scarlet) and [this one](http://66.media.tumblr.com/dff76d9c31c4b2ba452e1b7d39630608/tumblr_oa3ybwYkl01s996u1o1_500.png) by [Fleschybits](http://fleschybits.tumblr.com/post/147193454346)


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